chipotle

American  

[chi-poht-ley, chee-pawt-le] / tʃɪˈpoʊt leɪ, tʃiˈpɔt lɛ /

noun

chipotles plural

1. a mature jalapeño pepper that is smoked until dried, used whole or ground into a spice, especially in Mexican cooking.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chipotles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chipotle

First recorded in 1920–25; from Mexican Spanish chipotle, chilpotle, chilpocle, from unrecorded Nahuatl chīlpōctli, equivalent to chīlli chile ¹ ( def. ) + pōctli “smoke”

Explanation

A chipotle is a dried chili pepper with a smoky, rich flavor that's common in Mexican cuisine. Chipotles are used to make salsa and marinades, among other dishes. It takes a jalapeño to make a chipotle. If the slightly spicy green peppers are left on the vine, they eventually turn bright red. When these red jalapeños are smoked for several days over a wood fire, they officially become chipotles. You'll often find them packed in cans with adobo sauce made from spices and vegetables. Chipotle comes from the Aztec words chilli, "chili pepper," and poctli, "smoke."